The Duomo Complex and Its Hidden Terraces
4.5
The Duomo Complex and Its Hidden Terraces
By Ciao Florence Tours and Travels
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About
Florence’s Duomo has so many highlights and hidden corners that visiting it independently risks not seeing all its treasures. This all-encompassing tour lays its secrets bare without long waits in line. Enjoy skip-the-line access to tour the interior, visit terraces and rooms closed to the public, and savor the views from the top of Brunelleschi’s dome.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 19 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
- View the highlights and secret treasures of Florence’s Duomo in one tour
- Guided skip-the-line tour with priority access to dome's panoramic views
- Special access to off-limits rooftop north-side terrace and Circular Room
- Hear fascinating insight on Brunelleschi's architectural wonder
- Professional guide
- Skip the line access to Florence Cathedral
- Guided tour of the Cathedral and exceptional opening of Duomo North terrace
- Skip the line and reserved access to Brunelleschi's Dome
- Exclusive access to the central nave
- 72 hour full-access to Duomo Complex: Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery and Opera del Duomo Museum
- Entry/Admission - Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
- Entry/Admission - Cupola del Brunelleschi
- Guaranteed to skip the lines
What's not included- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Cathedral tour if you select the 4.15 pm shift. A Duomo Museum guided tour will be offered instead
- Meet your guide at Florence's Duomo and skip the long lines for a guided cathedral interior tour. Admire high points including the frescoes by Vasari before a brief exterior view of the Baptistery, Brunelleschi's Dome, and Giotto's Bell Tower from the Piazza San Giovanni. Continue the tour with a visit to the Crypt of Santa Reparata to view wooden models used by Brunelleschi to build the cathedral’s stunning dome. Then climb the 153 steps to the rooftop north-side terrace, an area usually closed to the general public. Absorb the panoramas here and visit the Circular Room, another area that's usually off-limits. It's replete with 16th-century statues that once graced the Duomo’s facade. The guided part of your tour ends here—enjoy priority access to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome, ascending 310 steps to stand at the top of the cupola for close-ups of the frescoes and 360-degree city views.
- Start:
- Via Camillo Cavour, 12, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyPlease find number 12 "Black" Via Camillo Cavour which is the easiest number to find and then walk to nearby CIAOFLORENCE SALES OFFICE - Ciao Florence Sales Office - Via Cavour, 36 "RED". You will understand clearly this address description once you are in Florence
End:- Piazza di San Giovanni, Firenze FI, ItalyThe tour will end on top of Cathedral secret terraces, in Piazza San Giovanni, Florence (Duomo Square)
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6367P9- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Good walking shoes are recommended
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- Please note the number of steps to reach the top of each monument: Terraces: 153 - Terraces + Brunelleschi's Dome: 153 + 310 from the Terraces
- Kindly note that starting from 1st May 2023 bulky backpacks and bags will no longer be allowed inside the Dome and Terraces to ensure the safety and security of all visitors.
- This activity is not allowed for children under 7 years of age
- Kindly note that 4.15 PM tour departure does not include the visit of the cathedral: a guided tour of the Opera del Duomo museum or the Baptistry (on tuesdays) will be offered instead.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 19 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6367P9
From
$128.58
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- Via Camillo Cavour, 12, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyPlease find number 12 "Black" Via Camillo Cavour which is the easiest number to find and then walk to nearby CIAOFLORENCE SALES OFFICE - Ciao Florence Sales Office - Via Cavour, 36 "RED". You will understand clearly this address description once you are in Florence
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- Piazza di San Giovanni, Firenze FI, ItalyThe tour will end on top of Cathedral secret terraces, in Piazza San Giovanni, Florence (Duomo Square)
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- 702sukanyab0 contributionsJoining this program is worth and it made me be more than happy even on foggy rainy day. verySeina is the most impressive city. When Ssn Gimignano is the unique town we do not miss. Toue staff also friendly and polite.Written October 7, 2024
- stephm4090 contributionsVery Interesting.We had a great time on the tour. Our tour guide Roberto was excellent and gave us lots of helpful hints and tips including some for our return in Florence. The other staff, Luca. Elia and Nagisa were also friendly and helpful. The stop in Monteriggioni is very short and there isn't much time to do anything. Sienna is beautiful and the tour guide was very informative and interesting. If you want to go in the Cathedral it is best to book your ticket in advance so you can skip the queues. There is plenty of time here to visit the churches, have a meal and do some shopping. We expected the hard sell and the wine tasting however it was very relaxed and there was no pressure. The visit to San Gimignano was a little longer than the first stop so just enough time for a coffee or ice cream and quick wizz around the town, however longer would be better. The public toilets here were really poor too. If I could change one thing I would suggest staggering the tours more so they didn't all arrive at the same destination at once.Written October 7, 2024
- 842naveenb0 contributionsGreat trip because of the guides Sara, Kazue and BorisThe trip was a quick highlight of major attractions in Tuscany. Each location was beautiful and the lunch was great! Guides we very helpful and friendly!Written October 7, 2024
- ninaebhawaii0 contributionsViator Trip Advisor day trip well worth the priceWhat a wonderful experience! We enjoyed the narration of the three cities of Siena, San Gimignole and Pisa. Sara, Kazue and Boris were great hosts - very informative, warm and accommodating.Written October 7, 2024
- hyunjook9700 contributionsGreat family tourIt seems like you can experience almost everything on a day trip from Florence. Guide Sara was really great. I was impressed by her kindness and how she took care of each person individually.Written October 7, 2024
- patsJ7341KM0 contributionsTour of Siena, Pisa and San Gimignano. Enjoyable tour. Sara was a great guide, very knowledgeable and a pleasure!!Sara was a fabulous guide. Very professional and knowledgeable. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. I recommend her highly as a tour guide.Pat SchagrinWritten October 7, 2024
- Camper072831240680 contributionsA day trip that's full and fun to watch!All the places I went during the tour were beautiful. I took a lot of pictures and I liked the explanation through audio..!Written October 7, 2024
- 197nazn0 contributionsSiena, San Gimignano and MonteriggioniThe crew were amazing ( Roberto was the lead along with 3 other people). The punctuality and organization was perfect. One thing I would change about this tour would be eliminating Monteriggioni and add more time to San Gimignano. Monteriggioni did not have anything to offer that worth the time beside bathroom stop ( which I am not sure if it was necessary considering we were only on the road for 20 min). Regardless, San Gimignano definitely needed more time.Written October 7, 2024
- nickwX1892HQ0 contributionsGreat tour!Phenomenal tour. If you want the most bang for your buck, this is the tour for you. The tour guides were tremendously kind and informative. We just had a few days in Florence and this tour allowed us to see so much of the surrounding areas. Highly recommend. FYI: tour busses do not have bathrooms on board so plan accordingly and bring Euros for public bathrooms.Written October 7, 2024
- KMatty0 contributionsA great taste of the Tuscan countryside!Roberto, Lucca and Elio led a wonderful tour. They shared lots of great info about the towns we visited and kept the group safe, with very clear instructions and meet up points. A great way to sample the best of all these towns. Thank you for a wonderful day!Written October 7, 2024
- 775lissetter0 contributionsIn love with everything ItalyEverything was absolutely beautiful. My only complaint is that I wish I had more time to enjoy everything. The tour guide was excellent and knowledgeable. The bus driver has a true talent because it cannot be easy to drive the big bus in the busy narrow roads of Italy. Thank you for the wonderful experience ♥️Written October 7, 2024
- wendywA5795VK0 contributionsTrip to Siena, wine tasting and GiminyanaGreat tour. Lots of fun and great information. Host Roberto was wonderful and the bus driver Luca did a great job! Easy to follow around and kept everyone on time.Written October 7, 2024
- ricardojT5057DZ0 contributionsGreat Tuscany TourHad a great tour with Lucca, Roberto and Elias. They made the tour efficient and enjoyable! I would definitely recommend them to others.Written October 7, 2024
- zachn2060 contributionsGreat Experience!We had a great time! Saw so many amazing places with a great staff. Would highly recommend this for anyone looking to come to the Florence area.Written October 7, 2024
- 395clarkk0 contributionsA Relaxing Tour of TuscanyWe had a fantastic time on this tour. Our guide, Gabriel, made sure everything ran smoothly and that we all understood instructions and where to meet up. He spoke multiple languages to cover the group. Our driver was great too. All the wine and cheese tastings were excellent. We liked all 3 towns on the tour, but Pienza was our favorite. We appreciated being able to be let out of the bus for quick pictures in front of the house used in the Gladiator movie as well. The bus was very clean and comfortable. The only negative was the air freshener spray on the bus was too strong.Written October 7, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
59 reviews
Excellent
38
Very good
12
Average
3
Poor
4
Terrible
2
Kristin M
cramerton, NC65 contributions
The view from the top was spectacular. A short (30 min) guided tour of church and first level of first outside terrace over church itself was fine. Guide was nice, but there is not guide for last 60-90 minutes. We waited over 30 minutes, single-file at the first indoor balcony (several stories up) of the cathedral to access the tower. The cathedral staff were not pleasant. You could not leave the queue even to go back down. It was warm, crowded, and you are supposed to be silent. Over $400 for 4 people, this was not worth it at all.
Written June 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Virginia R
6 contributions
May 2023
The meeting place for the tour was over a quarter of a mile away and difficult to find from the Duomo. Made us leave our bags at the office when every other group brought theirs in. Staff in the office was rude upon our return. Our tour guide Deborah did not share much information about the actual Duomo or the cathedral and we had wanted to know the history or learn about the art. View was nice from the terrace but this experience is overpriced and not worth the time with not much information learned. Would recommend finding another tour as the Duomo is gorgeous.
Written May 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katie Schramm
19 contributions
We enjoyed the walk and our guide was very knowledgeable. The audio system cut out a bit as we were walking through the Duomo so I missed some of her explanations. She was showing some history and pictures on an iPad and it would have been nice to get that link to research more or see closer up on my phone.
Written July 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joan M
Norfolk16 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Had a wonderful time views exceptional tour guide very knowledgable . Well worth a visit although all those steps nearly did not make it to the top but with a few stops along the way we made it right to the very top of the dome which had breathtaking views. Coming down was a tight squeeze in some parts. That was the only part of the tour which I did not enjoy as people would not let you pass otherwise a wonderful day.
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I3177SSthomasc
Edinburgh, UK10 contributions
Aug 2019
Any visitor to Florence must experience the Duomo at least once. However it is very busy and advanced purchase of tickets is strongly recommended. The climb up the Duomo is not recommended for anyone with even the slightest of medical conditions as it quite simpl y breathtaking !!
Written September 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear customer
Many thanks for your feedback, that spot in Florence is really unique and the view just takes the breathe away!
Absolutely true that it is highly recommended to take the tour, this being the only way to enter quickly and also have access to the amazing terrace!
Best Regards
Ciaoflorence Staff
Written September 5, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
dangiapedia
Milan, Italy315 contributions
Visiting the Duomo with a guide is a complete different experience than doing by yourself; you will hear about the history and art inside the cathedral before going up to the terrace which is really unique. Then you can climb up and see the Brunelleschi’s Dome and going up, up, up to admire a breathtaking view all over Florence! A must do especially with this tour as you’ll skip all the queue.
Written March 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello
Thanks for your sweet words, that makes us extremely happy to know how much you have enjoyed the tour!
We hope to meet you again in the future!
Best Regards
Ciaoflorence Staff
Written April 2, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jmillyo19
15 contributions
Sep 2019
The Duomo complex is full of history and gorgeous sights. The underground section is amazing to see the levels of history that occurred at this same sight. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. The terrace has a beautiful view that only the group can access, but is not for someone who cannot do a lot of stairs, tight spaces or cannot do heights. Would highly recommend!
Written September 23, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear customer
We thank you very much for your beautiful comment, that makes us so happy to know how much happy we made you in our turn!
Make sure to come back in the future, you don't want to miss our other gorgeous activities :)
Kind Regards
Ciaoflorence Staff
Written September 24, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
elisaND00
New York City, NY100 contributions
Sep 2019
Of course, getting to skip the line is a huge plus, in addition to the rich background you gain from a very knowledgeable tour guide on the history of the Duomo and the Cathedral, including architecture, art and culture. You walk through the facade on the outside and then into the Cathedral, learning about all aspects of the building, including of course the feat of engineering of the Duomo. The highlight is likely the unique access you're given only through a tour to the northern terrace up 153 stairs for a stunning view of Florence below and much closer to the Duomo above. You can choose to continue on to the top of the Duomo after the tour concludes if you choose to.
Written September 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bluedfan
New Braunfels, TX49 contributions
Jun 2019
On the day of our tour we had plenty of time to meet the guide but was mistakenly at the wrong meeting spot and then since we had not used the phone internationally we didn't understand how to make the call. Finally we found some help from the duomo staff and they made a phone call to inquire about the meeting place yet we were 20 miniutes late by that time so we missed the tour. The location on the voucher had written first Piazza di San Giovanni 7. So we waited at a location with that number. When we read the voucher later the last listing was Piazza San Giovanni 7 (Duomo complex ticket office) Why wasn't that the only lising, maybe we would not made the mistake. I asked the represenative from Ciaflorence if we could catch the tour but was told we missed it and there would be no refund. Yes it was our fault that we missed the connection because we didn't understand but not giving any kind of refund will make me not ever use this company again. Our missed tour was June 7 2019.
Written September 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear customer
It goes without saying that we are very sorry that you missed the tour.
As you have noticed the specific address is written in the voucher you receive at the moment you book and if you find the place ahead of time you help yourself much better...
However, the company has a cancellation policy according to which there is no refund for the no show clients because the company has already covered all the costs for you, even if you did not take part to the tour.
That is exactly what happens with flights/ train tickets... Sorry.
Kind Regards
Ciaoflorence Staff
Written October 26, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Katelyn V
Dallas, TX8 contributions
Aug 2019
This tour was amazing! Our tour consisted of access right into the Duomo (skipped a HUGE line), saw the museum/basement, and then special access to parts of the Duomo the public doesn't get to see with basic access. It is a lot of walking and a LOT of steps, but you will not get the appropriate appreciation for the Duomo without taking a tour like this. The views of Florence from the top of the Duomo are amongst my favorite from our whole trip of Italy. The guide was great and her energy and love for the Duomo showed as she showed us around. The ONLY way you should see the Duomo!
Written August 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear
Thank you so much for your beautiful comment, we appreciate that a lot.
It is absolutely true that the view from up there is unique and makes your trip unforgettable.
Wishing you all the best
Regards
Ciaoflorence Staff
Written September 5, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Can you climb up to the terrace and come back down without climbing the dome?
Written May 20, 2019
Yes you can - my son went up to the top but I did not
Written June 20, 2019
How long does the tour last, at least prior to the Dome climb? What time do the other parts of the Duomo complex close on Friday night?
Written October 2, 2018
John R
Cullman, Alabama
Looking forward to the tour. Will my tickets allow me into the baptistry, etc before the actual Duomo tour?
Written April 18, 2018
After climbing the dome, is there time to see the Baptistry and climb the Bell Tower on the same day before closing? We are not able to get back on the following day.
Written April 14, 2018
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